Daniel Aguirre Dribbling 2019 CBU
Ricky Ruiz
2
Winner UC Riverside UCR (2-0-0, 0-0-0)
1
California Baptist CBU (1-0-1, 0-0-0)
Winner
UC Riverside UCR
(2-0-0, 0-0-0)
2
Final
1
California Baptist CBU
(1-0-1, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
UC Riverside UCR 1 0 1 2
California Baptist CBU 1 0 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Men's Soccer Claims the Crosstown Showdown on a Golden Goal

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—The Crosstown Showdown belongs to the UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team (3-0-0) which again took the title in dramatic fashion winning the match 2-1. This time, it was CBU (1-1-1) playing host in the annual matchup as the Highlanders drove down the 91 Freeway to spoil the Lancers' home opener with a golden goal by senior Ronaldo Lomeli in the 100th minute.

The Highlanders have now improved to a 3-0-0 start, their best since 2013.

"The Crosstown Showdown means a lot to us and a lot to the community because it shows that Riverside soccer is growing," Lomeli said. "We're happy to end up on top the last two years and hope to continue that tradition."

The match began uncharacteristically for the Highlanders as the Lancers scored on their very first possession, just 37 seconds in.

This would not deter the Highlanders who fought hard and won the possession battle all night. They would finally break through in the 40th minute as Lomeli was taken down in the box and junior Daniel Aguirre punched in his first goal of the season on the penalty kick that followed to tie it 1-1.

The second half was a scoreless affair with both teams seeing great opportunities but failing to capitalize, and the teams would head to overtime.

In the 95th minute, UCR would receive an advantage with Chris Heckenberg earning his second yellow card of the night. The Lancers would now have to play a man down for the rest of the night, but the rest of the night was not long at all.

With a minute to go, the Highlanders mounted their attack and found themselves lining up for a corner as the announcer began to count down the final ten seconds of the period. Aguirre placed the ball at the corner, fired one high, and senior Roberto Garcia-Vargas would find it with his head. The ball carried from the right side of the net, to the left, with nobody home but Lomeli, who tapped in the golden goal with his left foot.

"There was only a 20 seconds left on the clock so we knew we had to go," Lomeli said. "We got a good play off, put a good service in, got it across the box, and I happened to be there to tap it in. Then it was time to celebrate."

This was the first goal for Lomeli in a Highlander uniform, and it will go down as one of the greatest in this young season. Garcia-Vargas's assist bumps him up to five points on the year and Aguirre's serve and score puts him at five points as well.

The Highlanders will look for their fourth straight this Monday on the road at SMU.

"We take everything one game at a time," Lomeli said. "We will approach the next game like its the final and get after it every single time. Our culture is to have the same mentality every day and work for the result."